Pasta and chickpeas is a popular dish all over Italy, says Gennaro Contaldo.
Serves four people
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Ingredients
- 200g dried chickpeas
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small carrots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, left whole and squashed
- 100g fennel bulb, finely chopped
- 20g wild fennel fronds, roughly chopped (optional)
- thinly pared rind of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1.8 litres water
- 200g tagliatelle, broken into little pieces
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zested then quartered
Method
- Place the chickpeas in plenty of cold water with the bicarbonate of soda (this softens the chickpeas and speeds up cooking time) and soak overnight.
- The next day, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the carrots, garlic and fennel bulb and sweat for 2-3 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and stir in the wild fennel (if using) and lemon rind. Add the water, 1 unwaxed lemon, zested then quartered bring to the boil and simmer over a medium heat for about 2 hours until the chickpeas are cooked.
- When cooked, season to taste, increase the heat, add the pasta – you may need a little more boiling water – and cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Serve with parmesan, freshly grated lemon zest and the lemon quarters for squeezing.
Taken from Gennaro’s Limoni: Vibrant Italian Recipes Celebrating the Lemon by Gennaro Contaldo, available from The Week Bookshop for £20.
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